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I thought perfection was the glue of secure attachment, that rewriting the story was the hallmark of redemption. But when I stopped running from the mother I didn’t want to be — when I forgave my mother for the narrative she unknowingly authored — I could finally give my son what he needed all along: my presence.

As a parent of privilege, the decision to send your child to an underperforming school can be met with judgment and worries about safety and lack of resources. But what if these concerns aren’t as true as we believe them to be?

Even the most soul-affirming work can leave us depleted and lost. Making a commitment to step away from the daily grind and listen to our "inefficiency experts" — can sustain us in the work we do and the lives we lead.

How do our duties as citizens map onto our duties as parents? Courtney Martin on the tensions between what is best for her children and what's best for the world. The first in a reported series on ethical parenting.

A woman's story of her family — fractured and bruised but not without deep, complex love. A reflection on mental illness and divorce, the infinite shapes a home can take, and the courage to carve out space in a world built around conventions.

Parenting is a joy and a gift — but we should also give parents space to acknowledge the lost freedoms of youth that they miss. Courtney looks wistfully back to what life was like before her daughters, alongside the huge love and gratitude she feels for motherhood.

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The Pause is our Saturday morning newsletter, a gathering of threads from the far-flung, ongoing conversation that is The On Being Project. Stay up to date with our latest podcasts, writings, live events, and more.